Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a wiper for a container for packaging and dispensing cosmetic or care products. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a wiper which at least partially seals a container upon withdrawal of an applicator from the container. The cosmetic or care products include viscous cosmetics, mascara, eye liner, lip gloss, hair color and like products.
Description of the Related Art
Numerous kinds of cosmetic and care products are available in the market today. Some such cosmetic products include mascara, lip gloss, eye liner or like products which are fluidic in nature.
Known in the art are containers designed to hold cosmetic products preferably in a liquid or semi-liquid form, such as mascara, and to enable application of same. Such containers comprise a receptacle usually of cylindrical shape having an opening closed by a removable cap at an end thereof. Mounted on the cap is a stem carrying an applicator, for example, in the form of a brush. When the cap is put on the container for closing it, the applicator is at the inside of the receptacle, being dipped in the cosmetic product. Within the receptacle, close to the opening, a wiper is also installed, the function of which is to eliminate, during drawing of the stem out of the receptacle, the excess cosmetic product that is present on the stem itself and on the applicator.
A wiper of known type comprises a hollow body, the shape of which matches that of the receptacle opening and inserted by interference fit into the opening itself. The hollow body at the lower part thereof has a narrowing passage usually defined by a frustoconical tailpiece of flexible material tapering towards the receptacle bottom. When the applicator is inserted into the receptacle, the tailpiece is caused to rub against the same offering a weak resistance, while when the applicator is drawn out of the receptacle; the tailpiece interferes with the stem and with the applicator's bristles to remove the excess cosmetic product there from. For example, wipers of such type are disclosed in in U.S. Pat. No. 2,627,619, U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,122, and U.S. Pat. No. 8,142,093.
Such prior art containers have been proven to be deficient in a number of respects that they typically rely only on the cap for sealing the cosmetic product contained therein from the atmosphere. However, as the applicator is withdrawn from the container, the air from outside environment enters into the container and thereby acts as a catalyst in causing drying out of the cosmetic product stored in the receptacle of the container. Moreover, the prior art containers repeatedly expose the bulk of the cosmetic product stored therein to the atmosphere during each use by the consumer. This serves to increase the risk of contamination by foreign substances such as particulate matter and microbes. Furthermore, the addition of air in the product causes the cosmetic product to become dry and lumpy. Such prior art containers are not suitable for storage and application of the cosmetic product containing a significant concentration of one or more volatile agents. Therefore, there exists a need for a wiper for a container that is user-friendly, and restricts entry of air into the container while the cap is removed.